Control valve for fluid operated devices



Jan. 20, 1942. G, H, ORR

CONTROL VALVE FOR FLUID OPERATED DEVICES Filed Jan. 20, 1940 33 m m mflmm 1 m R MN I H h E fl W R ll W w WON H w m mw {I I ATTORNEYS j r m wnw m N ww N Q s Q 9 H Q v R /4 35:3 .6 mn N \wn mm mm mm m 1 QQAQM m -q 2 .Q/ Y I I ll IN. NH Y I B Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT; ;QTFFICE coNrnor. vaLvg 3 32mm orEnA'rEn.

Glenn 1!. Orr, Akron,

eral Tire drnubbcr corporation of Ohio casino: to The Gen- Company, Akron, Ohio, an

Application January 20, 1940, Serial No. 314,881"

6 Claims.

This invention relates to valves, and more particularly to control valves for regulating the admission of fluid to and the release of fluid from devices operated by fluid under pressure.

There are many devices which are operated by fluid under pressure, such, for example, as pneumatic drives and pneumatic clutches. In these devices fluid, such as air or gas, is introduced under pressure as the chamber of a hollow rubber annulus, and the expansion connection desired. While the driving connection is being made or disestablished, therev is frictional sliding engagement between relatively movableparts which subjects the parts to wear,

which may be very great in the case of large.

loads. By the use of high pressure fluid it has been possible to quickly establish the driving connection in a rotary clutch" of the character under consideration. However, the release of such clutches has not been as rapid as desired because of the time element involved in releasing the vention to provide a control valve for fluid operated devices which quickly releases fluid under pressure from such devices when so desired.

Another object is to provide a fluid control valve which may be line of a fluid operated device relatively close to such device, whether the latter be rotary or stationary, so that air, gas, or other fluid being released from the device travels a minimum distance and is quickly and efficiently released. Another object is to provide a fluid control valve which is substantially automatic in operation to place the fluid supply passage of a fluid operated device in communication with the atmosphere when the fluid is to be released from the device, and to close such passage from the atmosphere when fluid is being introduced into ,the device and during operation of the device;

iAn'other object is to provide a fluid control valve which may be utilized on stationary and rotary fluid operated devices and one which is simple. in design siveto manufacture. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of a suitable embodiment of the invention which is made in connection with relatively large quantity of air under pressure which is maintained in the expansible" chambers of the fluid pressure devices during operation. I

It is, therefore, an object of the present in utilized in the fluid supplyv and construction and inexpenthroughout the several views are indicated by the same numerals of reference.-

Figure 1 is a operated device, such as the clutch disclosed in into an expansible chambensuch of the annulus efiects the drivingv into the end of the pneumatic tached. In this at ,al., Serial No. 301,970, flled October 30, 1939, and the clutch shown in Patent No. 2,185,986, issued January 2, 1940, to William C. McCoy;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe valve showing the valve body displaced from the position shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The valve comprises a housing I which may be in the form of a substantially cylindrical tube or sleeve having external threads 2 at opposite ends which threadedly receive flanged end members 3 and 4. An axial extension 5 on the end member 3 is formed with threads 6 and is screwed rotatable member or shaft 1 of clutch or other fluid operated device to which the control valve is to beatmanner the valve of the present invention may be rigidly secured to the movable or rotating device and, as will later appear, its operation is substantially automatic to control the flow of fluid into the device and the release of fluid from the device to the atmosphere.

The end member 4 is formed with an axial passage 8 threaded at 9 to receive a nipple I0 the accompanying drawing, inwhich like parts or rubber.

of a rotary coupling or joint I I, which is connected by suitable conduit or piping l2 and a valve l5, to be later described, to a source of air or other fluid under pressure (not shown).

Within the housing I is formed a chamber havingsubstantially cylindrical walls I6 and a movable valve body or piston ll of substantially cylindrical form is disposed within the of the housing. Disposed about the piston body I! in circumferential sealing engagement therewith and with-the cylindrical walls "5 of the housing chamber are a pair of spaced seals l8. These seals are disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation to one another in the central part ofthe chamber to divide or separate the latter into a pair of spaced cells l9 and 2ll-within the opposite ends of the housing, and an exhaust cell 2| which is between the end cells l9 and 20 at the central part of the chamber and is of annular form extending around the valve body IT. The annular sealing rings I8 may be formed of suitable flexible material, such as leather, felt, and may be retained in spaced relation fragmentary elevational view partly in section showing my improved valve in-' stalled in the fluid supply line of a rotary fluid chamber wardly from the walls of the housing chamber to engage the sides of the sealing rings. The piston or valve body I1 is of less diameter than the chamber in the housing I .to provide an annular space for the sealing rings I3 and the inwardly extending projections or lugs 22. Annular rings 23 may be provided in the space between the piston and the walls of the chamber to resiliently press against the flexible or deiormable sealing rings I3 to retain the latter in position against the flanges or lugs 22 and to maintain a fluid-tight seal between the piston and the walls of the chamber. Helical compression springs 24 may be used to press the rings 23 against the seals I3, the springs being disposed in the annular spaces between the piston and the chamber walls and seated against the end members 3 and 4.

The passage 3 in the end member 4, which, as previously mentioned, communicates with the source of fluid under pressure, opens into the cell 23 in the right hand end viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and the cell Ilin the left hand end 01 the housing communicates through an opening and passage 25 in the end member 3 with a passage 23 in the rotatable member or shait I.

Extending longitudinally through the piston or valve body I1 is a passage 23 which connects the cell is with the cell 23. This passage has increased diameter portions 33 and 3| at opposite ends of the piston, the passage portion 3I receiving a ball 32 and a helical compression spring 33 which comprise a check or one-way valve. The ball 32 is held across one end or a passage 34 in a plug 35 threaded at 36 into the passage portion 3I of the piston or valve body I1. Thus, the check valve in the piston passage allows the flow of high pressure fluid from the cell. 23 through the piston and into the cell I3 while preventing, or substantially preventing, the flow of fluid from the cell l3 to the cell 23. It is to be understood that the spring 33 is relatively weak and readily yields to permit the flow of fluid through the passage 23 from the cell 23 to the cell I9 when high pressure fluid is supplied to the former from the source.

The valve body or piston I1 is of less length than the chamber in the housing I so that the valve body may be moved or reciprocated back and forth in the chamber under the influence of fluid or air pressure between the positions indicated respectively in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. A number of radial openings or passages 31 are formed through the walls of the piston body I'l. These openings communicate with the passage portion 33 and are so located that when the piston is at its extreme limit of movement to the right, as shown in Fig. 2, they are in communication with the annular exhaust passage 2I. Exhaust open.- ings 33 through the walls of the housing I open into the exhaust cell 2I and place the latter in communication with the atmosphere, so that when the piston I1 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, fluid under pressure in the left hand end or cell I3 of the valve is released through the passages 33 and 31 in the piston Il to the exhaust cell 2|, from which it is released through the passage 33 to the atmosphere.

Movement oi the piston or valve body I1 to its limit of movement to the left, as shown in Fig. 1, carries the ports or openings of the piston passages 31 from between the sealing rings I3, so that the latter seal the exhaust cell 2| of the housing I as by lugs or flanges 2: which extend radially inirom the other portions or cells oi the housing chamber and prevent the escape of fluid under pressure to the atmosphere through the exhaust openings 33.

The valve I3 previously mentioned and which regulates the flow at high pressure fluid from the source to the control valve and the fluid operated device is iormed with a cylindrical bore 39, in which is rotatably mounted a valve body 43 having a transverse passage 4I provided with an enlarged or flared opening 42 at one end thereof.

When the valve body 43 ot the valve I3 is turned, manually or otherwise, to the position indicated by the full lines, the e H is placed in communication with the conduits I2 which are connected to the valve ll so as to permit the flow of fluid under pressure from the source through the rotary Joint II and into the cell 23 of my improved valve. The pressure of the fluid or gas in the cell 23 acting on the right hand end of the piston or valve body II forces or moves the latter to the left to substantially the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. In this connection it is to be observed that the passages 23 and 34 through the valve body or piston I1 are sufliciently small relative to the area 0! the end of the piston subjected to the high pressure fluid in the cell 23 so that enough resistance is provided against the flow oi fluid through the passage which connects the cell 23 with the cell I9 to maintain a sumciently high pressure differential in the cell, at least during the initial period of gas or fluid flow through the controlled valve, to actuate or shift the piston to the left to the position shown in Fig. 1. If desired, the strength of the spring 33 may be increased or decreased to hold the ball check 32 against the opening in the passage 34 with sufllcient force to resist the flow of fluid or gas through the passage connecting the cells and thereby maintain a pressure differential between the cells which assures the shifting of the piston to the position which seals the atmospheric exhaust passages 33 from the cell I3.

Subsequent to the shifting of the valve body or piston IT to the position shown in Fig. 1, and after an air or fluid pressure has been maintained in the cell 23 for a period of time from the source through the valve II and conduits I2, the pressure in the cell I3 and in the fluid operated device may become substantially equal to that in the cell 23. When such a condition exists there is no flow oi fluid or gas through the passages 29 and 34 between the cells, and the piston or valve body I! is maintained through frictional engagement thereof by the resilient and flexible sealing means or annuluses I3 into the position shown in Fig. 1. Thus-the valve body prevents the escape of fluid or air to the atmosphere from the system.

When it is desired to release air or fluid from operating device, for example, to release a pneu: matic clutch if such is the device with which the control valve is used, the valve body 43 in the valve I5 is moved manually or otherwise to the position illustrated by the broken lines. The opening into the conduit I2 leading to the source of fluid air under'pressure is thus sealed and the conduit or pipe I2 leading to the couplin and my improved control valve is placed in communication with the atmosphere through a passage 43 in the housing or the valve I3 through or by means oi the flared or enlarged end opening 42 in the valve body passage 4I. Fluidunder pressure in the cell is thus released to the atmosphere through the valve outlet 43, causing,

the pressure in the cell 20 to fall below thatf'in.

the cell l9 and passage 26 of the fluid operate device.

the left hand end of the piston or valve body] 1" forces the latter to the right to substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 2. The ball check 32 substantially prevents the flow of fluid through the passages 29 and 34 which connect the cells l9 and 20, so that regardless of the speed or rate at which the air or other fluid is released from the cell 20, the movement of the valve body or piston I! to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 is assured. -In the position shown in Fig. 2 the passages 31 place the cell IS in communication with the exhaust cell 2| and exhaust passages 38, so that the high pressure fluid or air from the fluid operated device is released to the atmosphere quickly and in a relatively short time interval, so that the fluid operated device is quickly deenergized or released if the same be a clutch or brake. The frictional engagement of the valve body or piston IT by the seals [8 which embrace the same prevents inadvertent or undesired movement of the piston lengthwise in the housing chamber and restricts the endwise movements of the valve body or piston to those induced by the pressure difierentials in the cells a fluid operated device so that the latter may be quickly and easily deenergized by 'manual or other manipulation of a simple valve.

The principles of the present invention may be utilized in various ways, numerous modificationsand alterations being contemplated, substitution of parts and changes in construction being resorted to as desired, it being understood that the embodiment shown in the drawings and described above is given merely for purposes of explanation and illustration without intending to limit the scope of the claims to the specific details disclosed.

What I claim is:

1. A valve comprising a chambered housing, fluid passages opening into spaced portions of the chamber, a movable body in the chamber, spaced means effecting seals between the body and the chamber walls to divide the chamber into an exhaust cell and a pair of cells each in communication with one of the openings, an outlet opening from the exhaust cell to the atmosphere, passages in the body located to place the outlet cell in communication with one of the other cells in one position of the body, said body being formed to seal the outlet cell from the other cells when in another position, a passage between the pair of cells, and a check valve in said last named passage.

2. A valve comprising a chambered housing,-

formedto seal-tn outlet. celliromthe other cells when" an sit .-P l I} the chamber, a movable body in the chamber, a pair of annular sealing rings disposed about the body in spaced relation to one another and against the walls of the chamber to eil'ect seals between the body and the housing which divide the chamber into an exhaust cell and a pair of cells each in communication with one of the openings, an outlet opening from the exhaust cell to the atmosphere, passages in the body located to place the outlet cell in communication with one of the other cells in one position of the body, said body being formed to seal the outlet cell from the other cells when in another position, a passage between the pair oi. cells, and a check valve in said last named passage.

4. A fluid valve comprising a housing having walls which define a generally cylindrical chamber therein, a body disposed in the chamber, spaced seals embracing the body and extending between the body and the chamber walls to divide the chamber into an exhaust cell which is disposed around the body between the seals and end cells into which project the ends of the body. means defining a service passage communicating with one end. cell, means defining an exhaust passage communicating with the exhaust cell, means defining an inlet passage communicating with the other end cell, means defining a passage extending between the end cells, a one way valve (iii in said last named passage, said chamber being of greater length than the body to permit longitudinal sliding therein of the latter while embraced by the seals, means limiting said sliding to prevent movement of the body ends past either seal, and a passage in the body communicating with said one end cell and opening through the side of the body, said limiting means being arranged so that at one limit of movement of the body the side opening is disposed between the seals and in communication with the exhaust cell and at the other limit of movement of the body the side opening is sealed from the exhaust passage.

5. In a fluid valve construction, a cylindrical tube, members secured on the ends of the tube to close the same, said members having fluid passages formed therein, a piston body disposed in the tube and slidable longitudinally therein, means extending inwardly from the tube and embracing spaced portions of the piston to cooperatively define therewith a centrally disposed exhaust cell and a pair of spaced end cells communicating with the fluid passages, an exhaust passage formed in the tube and communicating with the exhaust cell, a longitudinal passage through the piston, a radial passage in the piston communicating with said longitudinal passage and opening through a port in one side of the piston, said port being in communication with the exhaust cell at one limit of the piston movement and being sealed from the exhaust cell at the other limit of the piston movement, and one way valve means in said longitudinal passage.

6. A valve for controlling fluid flow comprising a chambered housing, a movable body in the housing chamber, spaced means efiectingseals between the body and the chamber walls to divide the chamber into an exhaust cell and a pair of spaced cells, means defining fluid passages in the housing opening into the spaced cells, means providing an outlet passage through the housing from the exhaust cell, means defining a fluid passage extending between the spaced cells and a check valve in said last named passage, 

